Solana Beach's World Kindness Day returns to Fletcher Cove Park on Saturday, November 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year the program is built around keeping things in use. A clothing swap sets up on the lawn. A volunteer repair clinic works inside the community center. A San Diego Blood Bank bus parks in the lot.
You can walk up on Saturday and enjoy it. To get the most out of it, though, you have to start early. City Hall began taking swap clothing on November 2, and online repair sign-ups close Thursday, November 12.
Last November's Version Was Rained Out
This is Solana Beach's second try at its second annual celebration. The city is an official partner of the City of Kindness program. It planned the 2025 event for Saturday, November 15, from noon to 3 p.m. at Fletcher Cove Park, with live music by Rockademy, kindness-rock painting, friendship bracelets, and thank-you note stations.
The city called it off because of a forecast rainstorm. Its cancellation notice thanked the volunteers and booth hosts and added that "the rain is much needed in our region." It also invited people to keep the spirit going on their own, maybe by checking in on a neighbor or sharing a warm meal.
The 2026 version starts two hours earlier, and the event pages focus on swapping, repairing, and donating. The city is still looking for volunteers to welcome guests and run activity stations. It is also inviting local groups to host kindness-themed booths, like a craft or a gratitude station. Anyone interested can email Kayla Moshki at the city, so the final lineup depends partly on who signs up.
Three Ways to Pass Things Along on One Morning
The three main activities sit side by side at Fletcher Cove, and they connect. The city's fall guide to textile waste says the swap will be held right next to the Fixit Clinic. That way, a jacket with a broken zipper can go to the repair table instead of the landfill.
The Clothing Swap
The clothing swap takes over the lawn outside the Fletcher Cove Community Center at 133 Pacific Ave. Bring up to 15 new or gently used pieces. You can take home items no matter how many you brought. At 1 p.m., the swap opens to everyone, including people who didn't donate.
The city's guidelines for what to bring:
- Bring: tops, pants, sweaters, jackets, belts, bags
- Leave at home: dirty or torn items, underwear, swimwear, socks, shoes, hats
- Also welcome: spare hangers
If you have more than 15 items, the city suggests giving the extras to a local organization, a friend, or a family member.
The Fixit Clinic
That "leave at home" list is where the second activity comes in. The city points torn or broken clothing toward the Fixit Clinic, held inside the Fletcher Cove Community Center during the swap.
SD Fixit Clinic runs the session. It's free and hands-on: volunteer coaches help you make the repair yourself, so it isn't a drop-off service. You can bring a lot more than clothing. Between the city's event pages and the organizer's listing, the list covers bikes, electronics, small appliances, toys, lighting, and gadgets. Repairs are attempted but not guaranteed.
People who register on the SD Fixit Clinic event page get priority. Walk-ins are taken as time allows. The organizer says walk-ins usually stop at 1:30 p.m. The city's event page asks walk-ins to arrive at least an hour before the 2 p.m. close. If you're bringing something without a reservation, plan to arrive by 1 p.m.
The Blood Bank Bus
The third activity runs longer than the other two. The San Diego Blood Bank bus will be in the Fletcher Cove Park parking lot from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. You don't have to attend the celebration to donate. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, so every donor gets a free test the city's page lists as an "AIC test," along with a limited-edition Bill Watson Memorial Blood Drive t-shirt. Appointments are encouraged, and walk-ins are welcome. You can book a time with the San Diego Blood Bank.
The Deadlines Come Before Saturday
Kindness Day itself falls on Friday, November 13. The World Kindness Day page notes the observance is held every year on that date. The city's Saturday event follows it. Here's the calendar:
- Monday, November 2, through Friday, November 13: Drop off swap clothing at City Hall, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tell the front desk you're there for the clothing swap. A sustainability staff member will collect your items and give you a ticket that shows you donated. The city also asks donors to fill out a short form on the swap page.
- Wednesday, November 11: City Hall drop-off is closed for Veterans Day. That morning, the city and VFW Post 5431 hold their annual Veterans Day Ceremony at La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Ave., from 11 a.m. to noon. It features the Camp Pendleton Young Marines as color guard, "Feathers from Heaven" doves, the Santa Fe Christian School Band, and light refreshments.
- Thursday, November 12, 10 a.m.: Online Fixit Clinic registration closes. The organizer's cutoff is 10 a.m. on the Thursday before the event.
- Saturday, November 14: The blood bus opens at 9:30 a.m. The celebration, swap, and Fixit Clinic run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The swap opens to everyone at 1 p.m.
If you drop clothes off early, you can show up Saturday with empty hands and a ticket. Then you're free to carry a broken lamp to the repair table instead of a bag of sweaters.
The Ramp Down to the Sand Has Been Rebuilt
Anyone who wanders from the lawn down to the beach will notice Fletcher Cove's improvements. Mayor Lesa Heebner cut the ribbon on April 8 to mark the end of the Fletcher Cove Beach Access Improvement Project. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the work replaced the beach access ramp, the asphalt walkway just south of it, the concrete curb, the metal handrail, and the dissipator grate. It also added a new shower area at the bottom of the ramp and upgraded the existing one.
According to the city, the original grate went in almost 30 years ago as part of the North County Transit District train station project. "When people think of Solana Beach, this is the beach that they think of," Heebner said at the ceremony, according to the Union-Tribune.
This Kindness Day will be the first held at the cove since that work was finished. Last year's event was rained out before it could start.
Lunch on Cedros and Highway 101
The event ends at 2 p.m., which is a good time for a late lunch. Here are a few spots that local news has covered this year. Hours come from those reports and can change, so check before you go.
- Encore Sushi, 112 S. Cedros Ave. It opened in the former Kai Ola Sushi space, which closed in June, and held its grand opening on October 23. As of the Union-Tribune's October report, it's open noon to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and closed Mondays.
- Mia's, 243 N. Highway 101. This Baja-Mediterranean restaurant serves lunch and dinner. The Union-Tribune described it in August as about eight months old.
- Lana, 437 S. Highway 101. It's a dinner spot, open 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, per the Union-Tribune's July profile. Save it for Saturday evening.
On Sunday, the Solana Beach Farmers Market runs from noon to 4 p.m. at 444 S. Cedros Ave. It's open year-round.
Fixing things instead of replacing them is how Roy Wannamaker approaches homes, too. His background in construction and property rehabilitation helps owners decide which repairs are worth making and which can wait. If the Fixit Clinic has you eyeing a bigger project around the house, Epic Real Estate and Management is happy to talk it through, with no pressure and no timeline. Let's Connect.
